Are You Pro-Life or Pro-Choice?

Abortion is an issue where Obama and McCain have really different views. It's also one of the most controversial subjects in politics (not to mention one of the toughest to debate!) because it is so divided between two ideas: pro-life and pro-choice.

You've probably heard these words thrown around a lot when people talk about abortion (what about the term Roe v. Wade?), but what do they actually mean? Well, "pro-life" and "pro-choice" are often used as umbrellas over some pretty huge and complicated ideas, but here is a simple overview of what they generally mean:

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Pro-Life: Pro-life believers think that life begins at conception (the moment a sperm and an egg join to start growing a fetus). This means that they think fetuses and embryos are human beings and have a right to live. This is why pro-life believers think that abortion should be illegal no matter the desires of the pregnant woman.

Pro-Choice: Pro-choice believers think that a woman should have complete control over her pregnancy. They believe that all women should be guaranteed access to sexual education and contraception, access to legal abortion, and protection from forced abortion. Pro-choice supporters think that it is a woman's right to choose whether or not she has an abortion.

Roe v. Wade: This is a Supreme Court case that says that all people have the right to privacyunder the Constitution, and that a woman's right to privacy includes the ability to choose to have an abortion. The next president cannot change this decision himself, but he might be able to nominate justices to the Supreme Court who have the power to overturn (change) Roe v. Wade.

Right now, abortion laws change from state to state. Generally speaking, no state can ban abortion entirely. Women can have access to abortions during the first weeks of their pregnancy, at the minimum.

Now, on to the candidates!

JOHN MCCAIN:is pro-life. McCain opposes public funding of abortion. He also supports abstinence-only eduction in schools, as well as government funding of faith-based groups that provide reproductive health services. McCain believes that Roe v. Wade should be overturned.

BARACK OBAMA ispro-choice. Obama believes in increased funding for family planning, as well as education that includes both safe sex methods and abstinence. Obama supports Roe v. Wade.

What about the VPs? (Did you watch the VP debate?) Like her running-mate, Sarah Palin is pro-life. Palin is opposed to abortion even in the event of rape or incest. Joe Biden is pro-choice,like Obama.

Check out this clip of Joe Biden and Sarah Palin talking to CBS anchor Katie Couric about abortion.